THE CRISIS.
1846.
When fell corruption’s bands conspire
To legalize injustice dire;
To rob a people, brave and free,
What shall resist the Tyranny?
To counteract the vile intrigue,
The God of truth upraised The League,
When grasping Tyrants—greedy elves—
Make laws which but enrich themselves;
Who shall their power and force withstand,
And stay the ’curst oppressor’s hand?
The League!—the people’s chosen band,
Shall stay the ’curst oppressor’s hand.
Tho’ meddling Dukes of vast renown
Would cast a noble people down;
(The silly tribe affect affright,
Tho’ proxies[60] fill their pockets quite.)
The League shall lead (as soon ’twill be)
A people firm—a people free!
What boots it, that we laurels gain
On crimson’d field, or on the main,
If selfish senators befool us,
If the domestic spoilers rule us?
The League on such has kept its eye,
And Registration is the cry.
When a “bold peasantry” decays;
When want creeps in a thousand ways;
When tenant farmers struggling hard
Thro’ toilsome years get—no reward.
The League will rescue—come what may;
Nor care they for the landlord’s bray.
When drooping trade declines its head;
When starving thousands cry for bread;
When sorrowing age seeks death’s kind gate,
And children wail their hapless fate.
The League must to the throne appeal,
While millions cry “Repeal—Repeal.”
Names which were once the nation’s blight,
Fair York and Lancaster[61]—unite;
Old feuds forgotten—now their pride
Is to march onward side by side.
The League—their boast—their hope—their joy;
Pure sterling ore without alloy.
When clouds hung o’er the drama’s name,
What gave to Covent Garden Fame?
When Stage, Pit, Gallery, Boxes, all
Echoed each voice at Freedom’s call;
The League supplied each honour’d name
That gave to Covent Garden[62] fame.
“Give us our daily bread” pray we;
“Stop, stop,” cries vile monopoly,
“Before you wants are well supplied,
For all my sons you shall provide.”
The League—the monster doth expose,
And burns a torch beneath its nose.
Albion—thy wrongs shall disappear;
Scotia—hold on—be of good cheer;
Erin—thy griefs removed shall be,
Justice, tho’ late, shall visit thee.
The League doth its assistance lend;
Of none the foe—of all the friend.
’Ere long, fair knowledge will unfold
Her ample page—brighter than gold;
Ere long, the Laws which tyrants used
Shall yield to those which Heaven diffused.
The League shall then its work have done,
And all rejoice o’er victories won.
Ye powers divine—who care for all
That breathe on this terraqueous ball,
Free Trade and every blessing give!
“O teach the nations how to live!”
Still shall each Leaguer’s motto be,
“Justice, Love, Peace, Humanity.”
After any great National movement, the ferment takes some time to subside. Many agitators find their occupation gone, and look around for some other strife to stir up. There is always an advanced Radical school in every nation, and after the Reform Bill was settled, “the People’s Charter” took its place. What was required were the six following “Points”:—Universal Suffrage, Vote by Ballot, Annual Parliaments, Payment of the Members, the Abolition of the Property Qualification, and equal Electoral Districts. In 1838 they made armed demonstrations in several parts of the country, and rioting took place in 1839. In 1848 monster petitions in its favour were presented to Parliament, and on April 10 of that year 200,000 men were invited to assemble on Kennington Common, and march to the Houses of Parliament. About one-tenth of them appeared, and, having full knowledge of the number of troops and special constables who would oppose their progress, they thought “discretion the better part of valour” and dispersed to their homes. This was the last of “the Charter.”